My Cat Accidentally ate Pecans! Can Cats Eat Pecans?

Have you ever been in the situation where you drop food on the ground and your kitty comes running to gobble up everything? I know that happens a lot in our household, but I’ve been lucky to pick up just about everything. Dropping food, especially nuts gets me thinking, can cats eat things like pecans? The first thought is, obviously, pecans wouldn’t be part of a cat’s main diet and I wouldn’t hand my cat a bowl of pecans, but are they allergic to them? Should I be worried if they eat one by mistake? So let’s get to it, what’s the answer?

Short Answer

Yes, they can! But you want to be very careful!

Allergies

Most cats won’t have any allergies to pecans, although there are a few that will have allergies that show signs with hotspots, vomiting, and diarrhea. If your cat shows any of these signs make sure you are extra careful to not let them near pecans. Pecans shouldn’t have any effect by physical contact or scent and only should affect the cat if ingested.

Other Negatives to Feeding Cats Pecans

Pecans are very high in fat and should not be fed to cats on a regular basis. Again, I would strongly recommend against feeding your cat pecans even if they aren’t poisonous to them, but foods that are too high in fats will cause obesity, can lead to pancreatitis, diarrhea, vomiting and kidney failure. These are all things that you want to avoid, especially as pancreatitis and kidney failure are diseases that your cat will not be able to bounce back from past a certain stage. Depending on the type of pecan you get (salted or unsalted) your cat may also be susceptible to sodium poisoning, which can have some serious long-term effects.

What should I do if my cat has ingested too many nuts or is allergic?

There isn’t really much you can do by yourself. I strongly urge you to provide your cat with lots of water. If your cat isn’t drinking and you are comfortable, give them some liquids via syringe while you rush them to the vet. A little bit of throw-up should be fine, as long as it doesn’t prolong itself as it will cause dehydration and ultimately may lead to death.

Conclusion

As I’ve stated multiple times in the article, I wouldn’t make it a habit to feed your kitty pecans. Your cat should be fine if they mistakingly ingest one or two, but it should never be a habit. The most common culprits for ingesting pecans are outdoor cats who eat pecans straight from the trees, so if you have a pecan tree in the yard you may want to train them to stay away from the tree or you may have to wait until they’ve learned their lesson that these tasty nuts are giving them upset stomachs.